Germany, 1866-1945 (Oxford History of Modern Europe)

G.A. Craig, author of several distinguished books including The Politics of the Prussian Army 1640-1945 ('55), has written a magisterial history of Germany from Prussia's 1866 triumph over Austria at Koeniggroetz to the destruction of the 3rd Reich in 1945. His story focuses upon the two dominating personalities of the period: Bismarck, the "great star" whose genius & penetration are undeniable, but whose achievement "had its 'night side' as well as its 'day side,'" & Hitler, who, unlike the Iron Chancellor, was "sui generis a force without a real historical past." Craig agrees with Dahrendorf (Society & Democracy in Germany) that, paradoxically, it was precisely because he lacked roots in tradition that Hitler could destroy the major obstacle to its progress towards a liberal modernity--"the conservative-militaristic concern that had dominated politics in the Wilhelmine period, done everything possible to shorten the life of the Weimar Republic & elevated him to power in 1933." The concentration on these two figures in no way represents a failure to appreciate institutional, economic & social factors of development. A major part of the story--the place & treatment of women under the Empire, Weimar & Hitler--receives an overdue coherent treatment as do religion & education. Craig (J.E. Wallace Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Stanford) displays an equally keen appreciation of the role of culture. In particular, he forcefully portrays the flight from political responsibility which was characteristic of most artists & intellectuals under the Empire & which marred the splendid cultural achievements of Weimar as well. The combination of his learning with his gracefully lucid style has yielded a work of historical synthesis more readable & better organized than any book of comparable scope.--Kirkus (edited) Frontmatter I. THE UNIFICATION OF GERMANY, 1866-1871 (page 1) II. THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE EMPIRE (page 38) III. THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE EMPIRE: POLITICS AND ECONOMICS, 1871-1879 (page 61) IV. IDEOLOGY AND INTEREST: THE LIMITATIONS OF DIPLOMACY, 1871-1890 (page 101) V. THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST SOCIAL DEMOCRACY AND BISMARCK'S FALL, 1879-1890 (page 140) VI. RELIGION, EDUCATION, AND THE ARTS (page 180) VII. THE NEW COURSE AND THE DETERIORATION OF GERMANY'S FOREIGN POSITION, 1890-1897 (page 224) VIII. POLITICAL PARTIES, INTEREST GROUPS, AND THE FAILURE OF THE REICHSTAG, 1890-1914 (page 251) IX. WELTPOLITIK, NAVALISM, AND THE COMING OF THE WAR, 1897-1914 (page 302) X. THE GREAT WAR, 1914-1918 (page 339) XI. FROM KIEL TO KAPP: THE ABORTED REVOLUTION, 1918-1920 (page 396) XII. REPARATIONS, INFLATION, AND THE CRISIS OF 1923 (page 434) XIII. WEIMAR CULTURE (page 469) XIV. PARTY POLITICS AND FOREIGN POLICY, 1924-1930 (page 498) XV. THE END OF WEIMAR (page 534) XVI. THE NAZI DICTATORSHIP: THE INSTRUMENTS OF POWER (page 569) XVII. THE NAZI REVOLUTION: ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS (page 602) XVIII. CULTURAL DECLINE AND POLITICAL RESISTANCE (page 638) XIX. HITLER AND EUROPE: FOREIGN POLICY, 1933-1939 (page 673) HITLER'S WAR, 1939-1945 (page 714) APPENDIX: TRANSLATIONS OF THE EPIGRAPHS AND OTHER QUOTATIONS IN THE TEXT (page 765) LIST OF BOOKS AND ARTICLES CITED (page 774) INDEX (page 811) Isbn 0195027248 Lccn 784871. The Unification Of Germany, 1866-1871 -- The Institutional Structure Of The Empire -- The Consolidation Of The Empire : Politics And Economics, 1871-1879 -- Ideology And Interest : The Limitations Of Diplomacy, 1871-1890 -- The Campaign Against Social Democracy And Bismarck's Fall, 1879-1890 -- Religion, Education, And The Arts -- The New Course And The Deterioration Of Germany's Foreign Position, 1890-1897 -- Political Parties, Interest Groups, And The Failure Of The Reichstag, 1890-1914 -- Weltpolitik, Navalism, And The Coming Of The War, 1897-1914 -- The Great War, 1914-1918 -- From Kiel To Kapp : The Aborted Revolution, 1918-1920 -- Reparations, Inflation, And The Crisis Of 1923 -- Weimar Culture -- Party Politics And Foreign Policy, 1924-1930 -- The End Of Weimar -- The Nazi Dictatorship : The Instruments Of Power -- The Nazi Revolution : Economic And Social Developments -- Cultural Decline And Political Resistance -- Hitler And Europe : Foreign Policy, 1933-1939 -- Hitler's War, 1939-1945. By Gordon A. Craig. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. [774]-809. The history of the rise and fall of united Germany, which lasted only 75 years from its establishment by Bismark in 1870. The author not only analyzes the political structures and foreign, social and economic policies of successive governments, but also examines the individuals who dominated. A history of the rise and fall of united Germany, which lasted only 75 years from its establishment by Bismark in 1870. Suitable for A Level and upwards. In the OXFORD HISTORY OF MODERN EUROPE series